


No Matter What

by PurrfectStories



Series: Tiaras of Memories [4]
Category: Glee
Genre: Acceptance, Coming Out, Fluff, Humor, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Papa Bear Burt, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-03-01 00:53:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2753507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurrfectStories/pseuds/PurrfectStories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Series:<br/>A compilation of unrelated one-shots revolving around the tiaras Kurt hides in his hope chest. Each tiara holds a special memory, and means something personal to him.</p>
<p>Prompt:<br/>"Anon: Maybe you could do one set just after Kurt comes out, where burt returns Kurt's hope chest but there's a new one in there, something simple but still a beautiful tiara, just to show Kurt that he loves him no matter what"</p>
<p>Story:<br/>Spoilers to 1x04 "Preggers." Burt knows he loves his son no matter who the boy falls in love with, but he still remembers when he wasn't so in love with the idea of Kurt being gay. Now's the time to start making it up for it though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Matter What

**Author's Note:**

> Finals start today. -_- But I took a break to fill a request! :D
> 
> FYI: Italics mean flashback.
> 
> Enjoy! :)
> 
> No beta. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing. No profit made etc. See Chapter 1 for more elaborate disclaimer.

(One-Shot)

 

Kurt hummed happily to himself as he whipped off his sweatband, using the vanity mirror to fix his hair into a less unkempt state than before. A force of habit even if he was only going to bed. "Hey, Kurt? You down there, buddy?"

 

"Where else would I be?"

 

"All I needed was a yes."

 

"Yeah, dad! Just finished my skin care routine."

 

"Um…all right. I'm coming down!" Burt announced, his footsteps a little slower and a bit heavier than normal.

 

When Kurt fully turned around to face his dad, he gasped at what his father was holding. "Oh my gosh, dad? Is that my hope chest?"

 

Burt grunted in affirmation, shuffling over to deposit the chest in front of Kurt's bed. "You betcha. Now, come over here. I wanna have a little talk with you."

 

Kurt nodded, bouncing over to his bed and taking a seat on it next to his dad. "What's up?"

 

Burt lifted his hat to scratch his balding head for a moment, trying to find the right words to express himself. "Well, I just wanted to tell you that I meant what I said a few days ago. I'm good with the whole…you being gay thing."

 

"Oh…yeah, I know. It's a big relief knowing I don't have to hide who I am anymore. Kind of exhausting, and a little depressing." Kurt commented, wondering where his father was going with this.

 

"Kurt, we both know you never really hid who you were." He smiled slightly.

 

"I certainly did."

 

"Didn't Mercedes say you wore women's lingerie to school."

 

"That was a corset, hardly seductive bedroom attire."

 

"And a skirt."

 

"It was a SKORT, completely different article of clothing. Plus I had leggings on underneath."

 

Burt chuckled, "Well, I don't know about any of that."

 

"Clearly," Kurt teased.

 

His dad rolled his eyes, "What I'm trying to say is…you're my son. My gay son, and that's okay. I want you to feel free to be whoever you are. Free to use all those products in your hair, or on your face, wear whatever clothes you like—well, within reason—and to love whoever your heart leads you to. Because buddy, I love you no matter what."

 

Kurt pursed his lips together, feeling his eyes growing misty already. "I-I know, but thanks, dad. For saying it, I mean. That…That means a lot."

 

Burt smiled, leaning forward to open the hope chest. "So listen, I know it probably seems like I haven't been the most supportive parent about this whole situation…"

 

"Dad…"

 

"Now wait, let me talk." He pulled out something from the chest wrapped in a worn bandana. "And maybe I wasn't. You know, I didn't love the idea. The time that I grew up in, 'gay' was a word that was associated with disgust, an affliction, and just misplaced hate. It was seen as something wrong, and by no means did I take part in promoting that message, but I'm ashamed to say that I didn't discourage it either. For that, I am sorry, Kurt."

 

Kurt frowned, looking down to avoid his father's eyes. "It was a different time, you couldn't have known…"

 

"Don't try to defend it. Never defend narrow-mindedness, because for a long while, that's what I was."

 

"W-What changed your mind?" He asked hesitantly.

 

"You, your mother…"

 

Kurt tilted his head back up, looking at his dad from beneath his eyelashes. "She did?" He asked meekly.

 

Burt nodded, "Yeah, she was…she was something else, Elizabeth. After that third Christmas with you wanting them heels, honestly I tried to deny it for a while. I pushed you towards watching sports with me, wearing wrinkled T-shirts and jeans, and just a lot of stuff I could tell you didn't like. But I didn't know what to do."

 

" _Elizabeth, I think we need to talk."_

 

" _About what, honey?" She said, drying a dish in her hands._

 

" _Well, it's about Kurt."_

 

" _What about him?" Placing the dried dish on the rack, she turned towards Burt, giving him her full attention._

 

" _Lizzy, I think…I think Kurt is…different."_

 

_She tilted her head, staring questioningly at her husband. "In what way?"_

 

_Burt let out a frustrated breath, "Come on, you know how. The way the boy dresses, bakes better than most adults, sings like a wind chime, a-and plays with dolls."_

 

" _All kids play with dolls. Besides, weren't you the one who got him those Power Ranger dolls in the first place?" Lizzy reminded._

 

" _They're action figures. And I don't think very many boys use them for tea parties or conduct full-blown marriage ceremonies for them."_

 

_Liz giggled, "I take it you think this is something we need to be worried about?"_

 

" _Uh…um…well I…you don't?" Burt fumbled._

 

" _Personally, I think it's adorable."_

 

" _But aren't you afraid of what people might say? Of what people might…do? To him? You know, if this isn't just some phase." He clarified._

 

_Lizzy stared at her husband for a minute, the look of fond amusement never leaving her face. "All right, come with me."_

 

" _What? Where?"_

 

" _Just come with me." She grabbed Burt by the hand and led him out of the kitchen, bringing him towards the living room and stopping right outside the entrance to it. "I want you to look at him."_

 

" _Lizzy—"_

 

" _Burt, just look at him. Really look at him."_

 

_Burt rolled his eyes, but conceded. He looked into the living room and, despite the conversation they were having a few seconds earlier, he smiled lightly. A five-year-old Kurt was spinning around in a circle with his arms spread wide. He was twirling and mirroring the image of Julie Andrews turning around among the hills. Kurt was even singing the chorus of the song, albeit a bit broken but still impressive for a boy so young. When he got too dizzy, Kurt let out a little 'woah' and flopped back on his butt. He giggled hysterically, grabbing onto the shiny shoes on his feet while he smiled and watched one of his favorite musicals._

 

_Lizzy clasped one of her hands with Burt's and smiled with him. "He's our little boy, Burt. Our amazing, interesting little Kurt. Maybe he's not like other boys his age, but Burt, just look at him." They both turned their heads towards Kurt again, watching as he happily swayed from side to side and stared at the movie with the same amount of fascination as he did the first time. "Now, how can you look at that and want him to be anyone else other than who he already is?"_

 

" _I…I guess I don't."_

 

" _No matter…who his heart leads him too?" She inquired._

 

_Burt sighed, "Honestly, I'm going to need some time. But I promise I'll try, for him…I'll try."_

 

Kurt blinked back some tears, watery smile spreading across his face. "Mom always did have a way with talking to people."

 

"That she did." Burt cleared his throat, willing the emotion away that always came with thinking about Elizabeth. "After you mom died, I guess I sorta lost sight of what I promised her that day. I was so lost without her for a long while, still feels like I am sometimes. Especially when it comes to raising you. She definitely understood you better than I ever could."

 

"Hehe sorry."

 

Burt waved him off, "It's not you. You're job is to just be a kid, figure out who you are and who you're going to be. My job is to support you, and to fight for you. Whoever you turn out to be, I'll bet my money you'll be even more amazing than you are now, and make me just as proud." Nodding surely, Burt finally took the bandana off the item in his hands. "And well, I guess this is just my small way of renewing that promise to you."

 

Kurt gasped, face lighting up at the item before him. "Oh…dad."

 

"Now I know it's not as…elaborate as some of your other ones."

 

"Are you kidding? This is beautiful. It's simple, but tasteful. Wire-thin supports to wrap around the head while making elegant circlets, woven together with decorative spiral-engraved strands, and they all come together in the center with a twisted loop. Oh my gosh, and look at the tiny little silver leaves on the tiara's face." Kurt threw his arms around his dad and hugged him tightly. "This is great, dad. I love it, and I love you." He pulled back and stared at his tiara some more, squealing in his seat before rushing over to his vanity mirror. "I have to try this on right now!"

 

Burt chuckled at his son's enthusiasm, smiling at Kurt's antics. He watched as Kurt put the tiara on his head, posing and making different faces to the mirror, switching profiles each time. "Hey bud, just for my own curiosity, why do you like stuff like tiaras and those bright sweaters and—I'm all for being yourself Kurt, but can you let up on the tightness of some of your clothes? I would like you to leave something to everyone else's imagination. N-Not that I approve of anybody thinking of you that way. Nu-uh. Not ready for that. Not till college."

 

Kurt giggled and turned around in his seat to face his father, tiara elegantly situated on top of his head. "Mom always said 'fashion has no gender,' and I tend to agree with her." Then he smiled mischievously at his dad, "Just out of my own equal curiosity, what would you do if I brought a boy home anyways?"

 

"Depends.”

 

“On what?”

 

“On how you think he'd react to a shotgun."

 

"Dad!"

**Author's Note:**

> Tiara: Renaissance Queen's Crown - ST3523 by Medieval Collectibles (if you copy and paste this into Google, it should be the first link that pops up)
> 
> To anyone taking part in Finals, I wish you luck!  
> Don't forget to leave a Kudos, a comment/request would be lovely too! :)


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